Easy Appetizer Recipes to Impress! 34 Fast Party Pleasing Dishes

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The holidays are full of fun and festivities! Food is everywhere, along with friends and family. On the other hand, easy appetizer recipes that are also delicious are harder to come by. Keep it simple this season by utilizing these quick party favorites!

Most of these recipes are under 5 ingredients and can easily be whipped together on any busy work night.

These are quick-to-come-together, easy appetizer recipes that everyone will love!

Remember, if a recipe calls for cooked chicken, guacamole, pesto, other dressings, or salsa, you can snag those at the grocery store too. It might cost you a little bit more, but time is money. All these easy appetizer recipes should come together quite quickly, even if it takes an oven or crock pot. Set it and forget it.

None of these recipes involve boiling water for noodles or frying. If an ingredient calls for bacon, you can easily crisp that up in the microwave with minimal mess.

With items that are readily available in all grocery stores. The key is to impress without topping out your wallet…. or your frustration levels.

Salads with Quick Grab Ingredients

Marinated Tomatoes from Five Heart Home

Fresh herbs are next to the fresh dressings in most grocers.

… Keep reading

11 Easy Ways to Use A Wedding Budget to Achieve an Elegant Day

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budget wedding tips and tricks. Your budget wedding can be the blissful, wonderful daydreams are made of. With just a little careful planning it can be everything you ever wanted. A few important details enabled me to have a completely elegant, stress-free, drama-free intimate-budget wedding.

Wedding Budget Tip #1 Decide What’s Important to You

I wanted an outstanding meal. Pretty much all I cared about was the food. The love of my life was next to me and what I wanted was a memorable experience.

Are you creating an event for someone else or yourself? We were in the unique situation of having a small, intimate reception that permitted us to please ourselves.

If food is what’s important splurge on that, if it’s your dress alteration, book it. After all, it’s your big day. Making a list of “must-haves” vs.”nice to haves” will help you to put things in perspective.

Did you know Amazon has a wedding registry? Make it easy for your guests to get you what you need. Check it out here!

Wedding Budget Tip #2 Use a Restaurant

It’s a waste of money to rent a space, decorate it, and be stuck with all the ‘props’, just avoid it all.… Keep reading

Open Your Heart, Not Your Wallet – Keep That Jingle in Your Pocket Part 2

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The Friend Con. Don't Be a Side Hustle Victim. How to say no to your friends and their new side hustle. The Rising Damsel #moneysmart #savvy #friendhustle #savemoney #finance Ok….friends…you gotta love em’, right?!

But…when it comes to them wanting that jingle in your pocket…are they friends or foes to your wallet? Why is it that the most casual of acquaintances depend so dearly on your appearance to one of their Tupperware, lingerie party, Mary Kay type events? It starts out with a seemingly sweet invite to their house for a glass of wine and after you accept with gratitude, then….bammmmm….your ‘friend’ informs you that 20 other people will be there and you will have such a fun night viewing skimpy lingerie!

Excuses?!

Uhhhhh….now what do you do? Your head is swirling and your mind is spinning out of control trying to figure out how to get out of it?! You are thinking….but but but…I don’t wear skimpy lingerie! I don’t want skimpy lingerie! I can’t afford lingerie that will end up wadded up in the back of a drawer.

What You Really Want

I want my old worn out sweatshirt and sweatpants. I want to wear that one curler I wear on top of my head….I want my nice thick coat of night cream on my face when I sleep…I’m trying to save every extra penny for the vacation I’ve been dreaming about.… Keep reading

Get The Best Restaurant Deals – 13 Tips From a Former Waitress

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Ex-Waitress Secrets to Eating Cheap. Full bellies, Fat Wallets. This is how you need to eat to get the best restaurant deals. The Rising Damsel Spending your hard-earned money on dining out can be such a drain on your wallet. All the little extras you order in a restaurant blow up your bill, and good service is never guaranteed. I drool thinking about food, read menus for the sport of it and eat more than I should. I’ve had to figure out how to eat often, and for less money. Use my secrets to keep that cash in your pocket.

1. Go to Places With No Waiters

No waiters = no need to tip. Many new restaurants are focusing on a ‘fast casual’ model, and we benefit from it. Unlimited refills, extra sauces, as many napkins as you want, no one bothering you to order more, it’s a total family win.

If you don’t want to tip or you can’t, here are a few delicious options for you: Panera, PeiWei, Noodles & Company, Chipotle, Pizzeria Locale, Garbanzo’s, Jason’s Deli, and Qdoba. For 2 people you can eat some pretty unique cuisine, and it’s for a fraction of the cost of sitting down in a fancier restaurant. My fiancé and I challenge ourselves to spend less than $15. Getting your significant other onboard to save, definitely makes it easier and more fun.… Keep reading

Things to Do in Las Vegas – Be Cheap See the World

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Want to feel lux and not spend a fortune? These things to do in Las Vegas will make you feel like you own the world. Experience different art and cultures from all over the world and eat food you’ve never dreamed of all in one convenient city.

Vegas…. provides a cornucopia of flavors, sights, and people. It can be a money pit if you do it wrong, but it offers a chance to see the world on the cheap if you do it right! With my tips, you’ll get there cheap and walk the strip in style.

Sit back and discover things to do in Las Vegas to save money and see the world.

Let’s see how far we can stretch that dollar, shall we?

Cheap Las Vegas vacation tips and tricks for the city of sin. Bellagio hotel fountains

1. There are plenty of things to do in Las Vegas when you book weekdays

It’s just a fact that more people go places on the weekends because let’s face it, that’s when most people have time off. It’s infinitely cheaper to stay in hotels on weekdays versus weekends. HUGE savings can be had, especially in Vegas.

Vegas is geared to making the bulk of its money on Friday and Saturday, so there are more incentives for weekday deals to get people to fill the empty rooms….most… Keep reading